Patents by Inventor John C. Zimmerman

John C. Zimmerman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110132160
    Abstract: Hand-operated tools; such as hand saws, knives, and files, having improved features for enhancing use thereof are disclosed. The hand tools include one or more recoil members and are adapted to absorb motion of the hand tool in a first direction, and to supplement motion of the hand tool in a second direction. A method for use of an improved hand tool is disclosed, the method includes hand tools adapted with recoil members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventor: John C. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 6997253
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein to cause an interference fit. The sleeve will hold the cementing plugs when rotational forces, such as drilling forces, are applied so that during drillout, rotation of the cementing plug is prevented or is at least limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Earl D. Webb, Michael D. Stevens, John C. Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20040261991
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein to cause an interference fit. The sleeve will hold the cementing plugs when rotational forces, such as drilling forces, are applied so that during drillout, rotation of the cementing plug is prevented or is at least limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Earl D. Webb, Michael D. Stevens, John C. Zimmerman
  • Publication number: 20040016538
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing or limiting the rotation of cementing plugs in a casing string during drillout. The apparatus includes an outer housing with a sleeve disposed therein. The sleeve has an inner surface configured to engage cementing plugs received therein to cause an interference fit. The sleeve will hold the cementing plugs when rotational forces, such as drilling forces, are applied so that during drillout, rotation of the cementing plug is prevented or is at least limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2002
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Charles A. Butterfield, Henry E. Rogers, Seth R. Moore, Donald M. Garrett, Ronald J. Holubec, Anthony M. Badalamenti, Earl D. Webb, Michael D. Stevens, Steven L. Holden, John C. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 6174244
    Abstract: A golf club has a head to strike a golf ball and an elongated shaft with first and second ends, the second end being secured to the head. A grip is connected to the first end of the shaft and includes a plurality of shoulders extending away from the shaft and grooves extending between the shoulders. The shoulders are spaced apart from one another by a distance sufficient to receive fingers in the grooves when gripped by a golfer. A kit is used with a golf club. The kit comprises an elongated pad adapted to provide a plurality of shoulders extending away from a shaft of the gulf club and grooves extending between the shoulders. Also in the kit is apparatus that detachably connects the pad to a grip of the golf club. The grip of a golf club is adjusted by supporting a golf club with its head positioned as if to hit a golf ball. A position where the knuckles of the fingers are located when the club is in this position is then located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Inventor: John C. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 5355959
    Abstract: A differential pressure operated valve for use as a circulating and/or deflation valve in a well bore. The valve comprises a housing defining first and second bores therethrough and a passage providing communication between the interior and exterior of the housing. A valve sleeve is slidably disposed in the housing and has a first outer surface slidably disposed in the first bore and a second outer surface slidably disposed in the second bore. A valve port is defined in the valve sleeve providing communication between a central opening thereof and the passage in the housing when the valve sleeve is in an open position. When the valve sleeve is closed, the valve port and passage are isolated from one another. The first and second outer surfaces of the valve sleeve define a differential area, and the valve is closed by fluid flow creating a differential pressure acting across this area. A spring biases the valve toward the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Walter, James C. Tucker, John C. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 4470465
    Abstract: A ball valve type shut in tool having utility in gravel packing operations. The tool comprises a tubular housing having a mechanically actuated valve ball disposed therein. The ball is locked in an open or closed mode by the force of a ring spring expanding into two longitudinally spaced annular recesses in the housing. The ball is moved between an open and a closed mode by an operating sleeve comprising spring fingers which is disposed at the end of a wash pipe or production string. Insertion of the operating sleeve into the tool opens the ball; withdrawal of the operating sleeve from the tool closes the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventors: John C. Zimmerman, William P. Bellenger
  • Patent number: 4438933
    Abstract: The invention comprises a packer design for use in high temperature well bores. The packer is set by pressuring the well fluid through a tubing string, which moves a piston and shoe assembly on the packer mandrel, compressing a non-elastomeric high temperature packer element. The piston and shoe assembly combination is maintained in position after pressure is decreased, and the packer element is maintained in a compressed state by belleville springs which compensate for the lack of resiliency of the non-elastomeric packer element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1982
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1984
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventor: John C. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 4328866
    Abstract: An improved check valve assembly for use in a well bore comprising an outer annular housing, sliding mandrel slidably disposed within the bore of the outer annular housing, check valve seal means retained on the exterior of the outer annular housing and shear means disposed within the outer annular housing having a portion engaging the sliding mandrel and the outer annular housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1982
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventor: John C. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 4258793
    Abstract: An improved bypass valve for use with an oil well testing string is disclosed which includes a check valve means for allowing fluid flow from the interior of the test string to the well annulus when the interior pressure exceeds the well annulus pressure. The bypass valve further includes a blocking means which blocks interior communication with the check valve means when the well annulus pressure exceeds the string interior pressure. A delay means is included which delays the action of the blocking means for a predetermined length of time. The improved bypass valve is intended for use in a testing string for an oil well, and is to be placed in the testing string below a normally closed tester valve and above a seal assembly for insertion into sealing engagement with a preset production type packer. The time delay allows the seal assembly to be removed from the packer after the packer location is determined without activating the blocking means to move to its locked closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1981
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventors: Thomas E. McGraw, John C. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 4144937
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tester valve having a ball valve rotatable between the open and closed positions for use with a test string to test an oil well. The apparatus includes a ball closing piston in the valve operating mechanism which assists in rotating the ball to the closed position. One side of the ball closing piston is exposed to a first pressure of formation fluid flowing through the interior of the test string on the upstream side of the ball valve. The other side of the piston is exposed to a second pressure which is lower than the first pressure by a pressure drop caused as the fluid flows through the apparatus past the ball being rotated to the closed position. A bypass mechanism is additionally disclosed which is operable for equalizing the pressure on both sides of the ball closing piston when the ball is being rotated to the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventors: Gerald D. Jackson, Jim R. Williamson, John C. Zimmerman